Mental Health Awareness: Look Around, Look Within
May 10, 2023 at 6:52 p.m.
May is nationally recognized as Mental Health Awareness Month. This year's theme is "Look Around, Look Within," meaning taking time to take notice of your surroundings and how they affect you. I can't think of a better catchphrase to raise awareness, fight stigma, educate the public, and advocate for those suffering.
PART ONE
Look around: Twenty-one percent of adults are experiencing a mental illness. Think of five people you know; likely, one of them is silently battling, suffering, or both. Step one is to acknowledge that those numbers are staggering and not just statistics. Each number is tied to a coworker, friend, or family member. In addition, over 2.7 million youth are dealing with severe major depression. It calculates to be almost the same as adults, meaning one and five children and teens are sitting in a classroom silently suffering.
Yet, while mental health prevalence is on the rise, as a society, we are still primarily reactive instead of proactive regarding the uncomfortable topic of mental health. We react when tragedy strikes, but it will take being proactive to avoid these tragedies related to mental health. However, I recognize how hard it is to understand someone with an "invisible" illness. Especially if they barely understand it themselves. So, what can you do when you look around and spot someone struggling? I found these seven suggestions online I felt were very poignant.
1. Connect with them on a personal level. People often feel alone when going through mental health challenges, so it is helpful that we reach out when someone is not well. You will want to build a rapport with them by building trust and a safe space so they feel comfortable talking to you. This means putting our judgment aside, using a warm tone when speaking, and allowing people to say what they feel comfortable with. Mainly, you want to empathize with how they are feeling, which involves perspective taking, non-judgment, understanding another person's feelings, communicating your understanding of these feelings, being present, and not judging how they feel.2 All we have to do is imagine what the person is feeling and imagine ourselves in their shoes.
2. Find out about what they are experiencing. Ask what they are experiencing to open up a conversation and get a sense of what they are going through. Remember, it's important not to force this. Some people need more time before they can tell you what they are going through, and if that's the case, that's okay. They will at least know that you are open, interested in learning about their experience, and want to be there for them.
3. Ask what they need. It's as simple as that. The kind of support they need from you or others will vary, and listening is important.
4. Collaborate on options and solutions. Instead of jumping into telling them how they can solve their problems, first ask what they have tried to address the situation. Build on their strengths and find out what they see as options. Remember, their strengths are still there regardless of what is happening, so it's an opportunity to build on that.
5. Empower them. When we are going through challenges, we sometimes feel helpless or hopeless. Encourage them to continue to try, compliment them on their strengths, and remind them that the way they feel isn't permanent and there is hope.
6. Address harm reduction. Sometimes when we are going through a tough time, we start coping in ways that can be harmful. This can include excessive drinking, drug use, or physical self-harm. If you see concerning behavior or habits, you will want to have a conversation with them about it and see if here are ways to increase safety. For example, drinking with others and setting a limit on how many drinks you have. You want to brainstorm options with them, let them know that you care, and approach this compassionately because they use this behavior to help themselves get through their pain. If they do not see this as an issue at first, that's okay. At least you began a dialogue, and that is the first step.
7.Provide useful resources. Often someone struggling won't know where to turn for help, and it can be beneficial for you to offer support by researching places or resources they can turn to for professional assistance. This could involve encouraging them to see their family doctor to get a referral to a mental health professional. Or if you are concerned about a young person, connect them with Kids Help Phone in case they need to talk.
*Stay tuned for Part 2*
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May is nationally recognized as Mental Health Awareness Month. This year's theme is "Look Around, Look Within," meaning taking time to take notice of your surroundings and how they affect you. I can't think of a better catchphrase to raise awareness, fight stigma, educate the public, and advocate for those suffering.
PART ONE
Look around: Twenty-one percent of adults are experiencing a mental illness. Think of five people you know; likely, one of them is silently battling, suffering, or both. Step one is to acknowledge that those numbers are staggering and not just statistics. Each number is tied to a coworker, friend, or family member. In addition, over 2.7 million youth are dealing with severe major depression. It calculates to be almost the same as adults, meaning one and five children and teens are sitting in a classroom silently suffering.
Yet, while mental health prevalence is on the rise, as a society, we are still primarily reactive instead of proactive regarding the uncomfortable topic of mental health. We react when tragedy strikes, but it will take being proactive to avoid these tragedies related to mental health. However, I recognize how hard it is to understand someone with an "invisible" illness. Especially if they barely understand it themselves. So, what can you do when you look around and spot someone struggling? I found these seven suggestions online I felt were very poignant.
1. Connect with them on a personal level. People often feel alone when going through mental health challenges, so it is helpful that we reach out when someone is not well. You will want to build a rapport with them by building trust and a safe space so they feel comfortable talking to you. This means putting our judgment aside, using a warm tone when speaking, and allowing people to say what they feel comfortable with. Mainly, you want to empathize with how they are feeling, which involves perspective taking, non-judgment, understanding another person's feelings, communicating your understanding of these feelings, being present, and not judging how they feel.2 All we have to do is imagine what the person is feeling and imagine ourselves in their shoes.
2. Find out about what they are experiencing. Ask what they are experiencing to open up a conversation and get a sense of what they are going through. Remember, it's important not to force this. Some people need more time before they can tell you what they are going through, and if that's the case, that's okay. They will at least know that you are open, interested in learning about their experience, and want to be there for them.
3. Ask what they need. It's as simple as that. The kind of support they need from you or others will vary, and listening is important.
4. Collaborate on options and solutions. Instead of jumping into telling them how they can solve their problems, first ask what they have tried to address the situation. Build on their strengths and find out what they see as options. Remember, their strengths are still there regardless of what is happening, so it's an opportunity to build on that.
5. Empower them. When we are going through challenges, we sometimes feel helpless or hopeless. Encourage them to continue to try, compliment them on their strengths, and remind them that the way they feel isn't permanent and there is hope.
6. Address harm reduction. Sometimes when we are going through a tough time, we start coping in ways that can be harmful. This can include excessive drinking, drug use, or physical self-harm. If you see concerning behavior or habits, you will want to have a conversation with them about it and see if here are ways to increase safety. For example, drinking with others and setting a limit on how many drinks you have. You want to brainstorm options with them, let them know that you care, and approach this compassionately because they use this behavior to help themselves get through their pain. If they do not see this as an issue at first, that's okay. At least you began a dialogue, and that is the first step.
7.Provide useful resources. Often someone struggling won't know where to turn for help, and it can be beneficial for you to offer support by researching places or resources they can turn to for professional assistance. This could involve encouraging them to see their family doctor to get a referral to a mental health professional. Or if you are concerned about a young person, connect them with Kids Help Phone in case they need to talk.
*Stay tuned for Part 2*